Stare into the Abyss of the Mesmerizing 'Glory Hole' Spillway

California's Oroville dam recently experienced spillway damage that could have (but hasn't yet) lead to catastrophic failure of the dam itself. Meanwhile, about 100 miles south, the Monticello dam is holding up just fine. Last weekend, the waters of Lake Berryessa reached a high point, pouring through the dam's 72-foot diameter spillway, known colloquially as the "Glory Hole."

One lucky drone pilot who goes by Evan K on YouTube got permission from dam officials and caught some truly stunning footage event from the air, filming the spillway by drone for the very first time. The results are truly stunning:

A week earlier on February 12th, a small trickle of water entered the spillway for the first time since 2006—an event that was also captured by Evan. But this full and intense pour is another level all together. At full capacity, the spillway can drain water at a rate of 48,400 cubic feet per second down the pipe that is 72 feet in diameter at its mouth, but shrinks down to just 28 feet at its outlet. It's one hypnotic bit of engineering.

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